Has the game passed Coach K by?

I'm sure this may have been discussed in some of the tourney threads, though I think those were mostly running commentary.

But wondering what everyone's thoughts are on the Duke program at this point. That's two years and two early exits, one against VCU and the other against West Virginia, in which Huggins completely undressed him. They almost lost to Belmont in the first round.

Two years ago, 4 seed LSU absolutely handled his team in the Regional Final. A few years ago, Mike Davis of all people knocked his unbeatable, No. 1-ranked team out in the Sweet Sixteen.

I watch these guys, and I definitely don't see NBA talent out there. I see no Elton Brand or Grant Hill or Luol Deng. Of course, they're Duke and they're supposed to make up for that with "grit" and "intelligence." But they were outtoughed by West Virginia and, in missing like 16 consecutive 3-point shots, clearly not in as good of shape as Huggins' kids.

Are Duke and Coach K getting by on reputation at this point?

 

Dickie V is weeping and doesn't know why.

 

i don't know why they're failing in the tourney

but i love it

 

At one point this season, I believe Duke was 22-1 and had just beaten North Carolina at the Dean Dome, so I wouldn't say "reputation alone" label is fair. But this Duke team always had a glaring weakness--nothing in the middle--that K successfully covered up for much of the season by changing his offense. That hole was bound to catch up with em eventually, and the last couple weeks of the season it resoundingly did.

 

No, his good assistants have moved on and he's left with Wojo and Collins recruiting clones of themselves. Not like back in the day when Amaker and others were grabbing All-American types.

Coaching-wise, I honestly think he's as good as he's been in a while. But he's got a thin roster playing a high-intensity style of ball they aren't cut out for. They've been dead men walking since mid-February.

Roy Williams is just kicking his ass six ways from Sunday in terms of recruiting.

 

The Dukies are like the Dallas Mavericks — a nice little jump-shooting team with nothing in the middle who'll win a lot of regular-season games but will be exposed in a half-court situation.

If K can get a legit center and power forward, he's golden again. He knows this. The game has not passed him by. He's barely in his 60s.

 

I'd rather have a team that depends on the inside game rather than a team that depends on a dangerous 3-point shooting game. The inside game isn't as vulnerable to a really bad game as is the perimeter game. When Duke has multiple players finding the stroke from 3-point range, there are few teams that will beat it. But when the Blue Devils can't buy a 3-pointer down the stretch like yesterday, they're in trouble because they have no inside game to bail them out.

From a style standpoint, I really hate Duke's offense. It usually keeps four players outside the arc and sometimes five and the offense basically produces one of four things: A straight 3-pointer, a drive and a kick out for a 3-pointer, a drive directly to the rim or a drive and a dish. You rarely see a mid-range jumper from Duke and you rarely see a player post up inside. It does space out the defense to create driving lanes, but it's definitely not as fun (at least to me) to watch.

I love a team that plays intense defense like Duke usually does and it is fun to watch the traps, turnovers and the transition game.

You might see DeMarcus Nelson on a milk carton soon. Where was he recently? I know he's done at Duke, though.

 

Surely you're kidding.
The guy won 28 games with a 6-8 small forward at center. "The game" hasn't even begun to catch up to this guy.

 

I don't think age is what determines when a game has passed one by...

 

All I know is that Duke used to be the first team I'd pencil in on my bracket for the Final Four, now not so much. I've watched several of their games this year and his teams seem to have weaknesses now. I don't know if Duke isn't getting the players or the new NBA eligibility rules have put more talent into the college game than Duke can compete with, but that program has lost a step since their players started leaving early.

 

Duke doesn't get the Beasley or Mayo anymore. They get some guy who can bounce pass and shoot threes. No more takeover guy like Grant Hill.

 

They said many of the same things about Pat Summitt two years ago, and she recruited two jucos who helped her to the national championship. Duke needs two more good post players — a bulldozer at the 5 and a good passer at the 4. I think Duke would have been a Final Four contender with those two missing pieces.